USDA hardiness zone lookup
West Lafayette, IN — USDA Zone 6a
West Lafayette, Indiana · 172-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in West Lafayette
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 6a |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | April 25 |
| Average first fall frost | October 14 |
| Growing season length | ~172 days |
| Temperature range (F) | -10 to 0°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -23 to -18°C |
All of West Lafayette's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 6a.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from West Lafayette's USDA hardiness zone and regional climate normals — not a single-station reading. In a typical year the last spring frost will have passed by April 25, but a colder-than-average year can run 1-2 weeks later. Plant tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) once both soil and night temperatures are consistently warm — a thermometer beats the calendar.
Growing season in West Lafayette
West Lafayette, Indiana sits in USDA Zone 6a, with roughly 172 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around April 25 and a first fall frost around October 14. That is a standard temperate season — most common vegetables finish comfortably, and a single main planting plus one succession round works well.
What grows in West Lafayette
West Lafayette falls in USDA Zone 6a, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 6 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 6a (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes (all types)
- Peppers, eggplant
- Squash, melons, cucumbers
- Beans, peas
- Sweet corn
- Apples, pears, peaches, plums
- Cherries, blueberries
- Asparagus, rhubarb
- Garlic (fall-planted)
- Strawberries
What to plant in West Lafayette this week
West Lafayette is in high summer — most spring plantings are in. Keep an eye on watering and start planning your fall crop. Cool-season seedlings (broccoli, cabbage, lettuce) can be started indoors for a fall transplant.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 6
- When to plant peppers in zone 6
- When to plant bush beans in zone 6
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 6
- When to plant basil in zone 6
Full planting calendar for West Lafayette
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 6 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 6
- When to plant peppers in zone 6
- When to plant basil in zone 6
- When to plant garlic in zone 6
- When to plant lettuce in zone 6
- When to plant bush beans in zone 6
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 6
- When to plant summer squash in zone 6
- When to plant peas in zone 6
- When to plant carrots in zone 6
ZIP codes in West Lafayette
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in West Lafayette:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but West Lafayettegardens vary. South-facing walls and paved areas can run a full half-zone warmer than the published rating. Low-lying spots, frost pockets, and shaded north sides can run colder. If you've gardened here a few seasons, your own frost record — the last time you actually got frost damage — beats any national average.
Source and methodology
Hardiness zone from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Frost-date and growing-season figures are modeled from West Lafayette's USDA hardiness zone and regional NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals — zone-level estimates, not a per-station record, so treat them as planning guidance and confirm against your own local frost history. Crop recommendations draw on US Cooperative Extension references, curated by the Growli editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026.
Other cities in Indiana
- Bloomington, IN — USDA Zone 6b
- Carmel, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Evansville, IN — USDA Zone 7a
- Fort Wayne, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Indianapolis, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Merrillville, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Mishawaka, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Noblesville, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Portage, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- South Bend, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Valparaiso, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- All of Indiana by zone